Legend of Korra Collections: Earth
by Attropus
Summary: A collections of one-shots about the people of the Earth Kingdom. Including, but not limited to, the people of Zaofu, the Earth Kingdom royal family, Kuvira and her army. Current Story - "A Fruit Called Wrath" - Before she attacks Zhoafu, Kuvira captures Opal. The Great Uniter tries to explain why what she is doing is right. Opal is quick to disagree.
1. Friends in Low Places

**Hey all! Sorry for the re-posts and such. I'm trying to reorganize my one-shots in a more concise way since I don't like a bunch of one chapter stories cluttering up my stories section on my profile. If this is your first time seeing this and don't know what I'm talking about, great! Happy Reading!**

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 **Competition:** Pro-bending Circuit Season 3, Round 4

 **Task:** For this round, we're dealing with the four suits of a deck of cards. For each suit, there will be an accompanying meaning and plot. You will decide between your team-mates who will write which suit (one for each team-mate). **Diamonds** \- represent riches and royalty. _Write about someone rich/a royal living without their riches/title._

 **Prompts:** _(object) playing cards, (character) Prince Wu, and (restriction) no words starting with "m"_

 **Word Count:** 1117

 **Main Characters:** Wu

 **Summary:** Wu's been arrested for fighting a "fan" at one of his concerts. Too bad for him, his attacker is locked up in the same cell as him.

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 **Friends in Low Places**

Wu leaned his head against brick wall behind him. It sent a shiver down his spine and he let out a loud squeal which drew the attention of his cellmate. The gruff earth kingdom lad gave Wu a curt look and went back to picking the dirt from his under his toenails.

Wu gulped and loosened his collar with a finger. If he had known that living without his title and all the riches and servants that came with it, he wouldn't have given all of it up so willy nilly. He didn't know what he had done wrong to end up in this cell. He figured that if someone threw a empty bottle at him, he had the right to throw something back at them. He hadn't expected the boy to come charging at him after, though. Still, his cellmate had been the instigator. He didn't know why they had to stick them together while awaiting their punishment.

Wu brought his hand up to his forehead, felt the lump there and winced. He looked over at his cellmate again, trying to find any sign of a wound. The rough dude didn't seem injured or even fazed in any way.

Wu's stomach grumbled and he looked down at it, his pout forming into a full blown frown. He really wished he had eaten that sandwich instead of throwing it at that guy. His lower lip quivered as he thought about all the people who were probably traipsing about on his sandwich.

"What are you so angry about little guy?" His cellmate spoke for the first time and leaned back against the steel bars behind him He swatted his long hair from his eyes and held Wu in a strong gaze.

"I'm not angry!" Wu crossed his arms and snapped his head to the right, where another wall sat looming.

"Sure you aren't." The guy laughed and reached into his pocket.

The move prompted Wu to jump to his feet and plant himself firmly against the wall. "What are you doing? Guards! Guards! He's go a knife!"

"Whoa, whoa," the long-haired boy held out a hand in protest. He pulled his other hand out of his pocket, revealing a dusty deck of old playing cards. "Care for a game?"

"Why would I play a game with you? You harmed this beautiful face!" Wu pointed to the lump on his forehead.

The lad shrugged. "Suit yr'self." He quickly and quietly set the cards out on the cell floor and started to play a game on his own.

Wu wasn't sure of the name of the game he was playing, but he watched the boy shuffle and reset the cards three times before settling back into a sitting position. When his cellmate started to pick up the cards for the fourth time Wu build up the courage to speak. "How'd you get those in here anyway?" He placed his head in his left hand and leaned forward.

"Been through this a few times before, friend. Now, com'on," he gestured to the ground in front of him. "What else'ur ya gunna do?"

Wu rolled his eyes, but shuffled over and sat where his cellmate bade. He watch the kid's nimble fingers work the cards to and fro. It seemed to Wu that the boy was trying to show off now. He didn't seem like that bad a guy, so Wu had ask. "So why'd you throw that bottle at me, anyway?"

"Spirits! Ave ya 'eard yourself sing?"

"Sure, all the time." Wu started to count off on his fingers. "When I wake up, when I shower, when I use the little princes' room, when I-"

"Th'little princes' room?" The youth chimed in with one eyebrow cocked.

"The bathroom." Wu elaborated with a sigh. He never had to explain things like this to his pointy-eyebrowed body guard.

"Whoa, dude, didn't want to know that! T'game's poker, by th'way." The boy's hands flashed and Wu's cards sat in front of him. "Point is, leave the singin' to the professionals."

"But, I am a professional!" There was deep resentment in his voice. He hid his face behind his cards and started to organize them by suites, high cards, and low cards. Wu kept his lips in a tight line not wanting to give the kid any hints about how good his hand turned out.

"If you say so." The boy laughed lightly as he sorted his own cards. "Can I ask, how'd ya pick a career like singin' with a voice like yours?"

"For your information, buddy, this voice helped save hundreds of people by charmed two badgermoles!"

"Ah...tha'explains it…" The boy rubbed his chin. "Go 'head."

Wu placed only one card face down on the ground to replace. The boy handed him his new card and he placed it into his hand. He wasn't able to keep his poker face and a small smirk formed on his lips. "Explains what, exactly?"

"Ya do know tha'badgermoles can hear just 'bout as well as they can see, right?"

"What? That's not true!" Wu looked the boy in the eyes with distraught features.

"Hey! Keep it down in there!" The booming voice of a guard echoed through the cell.

"That's not true…" Wu's shoulders slumped.

The boy's features wrinkled in concentration. "Don't be too sad." He paused and placed four out of his five cards onto the ground and replaced them with fresh cards from the stacked deck. "Even t'badgermoles need entertainment, right?" The boy winked at Wu. "Your go."

"I'll pass." Wu tapped the ground twice with the knuckle of his index finger.

"Oh ho! You've gotta good 'and there, huh?" Three cards hit the floor and three different cards were quickly organized in his hand. The boy grimaced at the cards.

Wu set the cards down one at a time a dramatic fashion. When he was finished, a royal flush sat between the card players.

The lad whistled in admiration. "Well, what'ur the odds of that?"

Wu smiled. "Pretty darn low, I'd say."

The boy laughed and picked up the cards and shuffled them before Wu could stop him. "What about your hand?"

"No point showin' you after I saw yours." He shook his head.

Wu leaned back onto his hands, "What's yr'name, buddy?"

"Aakash. Yours?"

"Wu."

"Truce?" Akash smiled brightly and extended his hand. "You aren't too bad after all. But, seriously," he added. "Don't sing when I'm around ever again. I can't guarantee yr'safety otherwise."

Wu crossed his arms and sulked. "Some friend you are…"

"Hey, we've gotta set some boundaries." Akash punched him lightly on the arm. "'Nother game?"

"Sure," Wu sat back up straight. "Nothing else to do, right?"

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 **Requests and reviews welcome :)**


	2. A Fruit Called Wrath

Kuvira leaned back and stretched her arm out over the sofa She rotated a tumbler of liquor in her other hand as she stared out at the grand city of Zaofu. The ice in her drink clinked against the glass and shattered into smaller pieces. Her eyes narrowed, she would crush the city she use to call home in the same fashion. She took a delicate sip and glanced at her map of the Earth Kingdom. The smoke from the incense she had lit obscured it a bit, but her soon to be empire was still crystal clear in her mind's eye. She nodded to herself. She had made good progress so far, but there was still so much work to be done. More than half of the provinces had consented to her rule, and she knew it would only be a matter of time before the rest followed. They had no choice. She was strong, and they were weak. They would submit. Alternatively, they would perish, and she would come back and clean up the mess. But either way, they would be hers.

She stood and approached the map, the scent of the cedar incense growing stronger with each step, and downed the rest of her drink. She set the glass down and crossed her arms, studying the map further. Her eyes narrowed as they fell on Zaofu. She knew they would likely be the last hold out. Her mentor was strong. Su didn't need the protection or the aid of Kuvira's army. Thanks to her lucky catch today, though, Zaofu was finally within her reach. Kuvira knew Su well enough to know that family was the most valuable thing to her. She ventured that in order to save her daughter, Su would even hand over her precious city without a fight.

A hard knock came at her door. "Come in," she commanded. The door swung open and one of her officers entered.

He stood at attention before her and saluted. "The prisoner is awake."

"Thank you," Kuvira gave him a small nod of approval. "Dismissed." He saluted again and promptly turned on his heels.

When Kuvira was alone again, her face turned as hard as stone. She walked over to the door and stood before it with her hand poised above the handle. She narrowed her eyes and took a deep breath, preparing herself to face Opal's rage. Kuvira presumed that after everything that had happened between her and Suyin, Opal would surely have plenty of it. Opening the door, she was met with two crisp salutes from her personal guards. They followed her as she made her way swiftly to the prison car, the clanking of their boots echoing off the metal all around them with each footfall.

The guard at the door of the prison car saluted her as she came into view. "All hail the Great Uniter!"

Kuvira gave him a nod. "Has she said anything?"

"Outside of requesting to see Commander Baatar and Lieutenant Bolin, nothing, Ma'am." He held his salute as he answered.

"I see." She said and placed her hands behind her back. "I'll speak with her now."

"Of course, Ma'am." The guard immediately opened the door for her and she stepped through the threshold, chin held high.

Her guards started to follow, but she turned back to them and held up a hand. They understood her wordless order and stood ready, flanking the door. Kuvira shut it. It was time for a one-on-one talk. Prisoner to captor.

Kuvira looked to her left. She saw Opal sitting on the floor of the closest cell with her knees to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. She stared straight ahead in utter silence, not even acknowledging Kuvira's arrival. Kuvira's eyebrow twitched in irritation, but she refused to let Opal's stoicness perturb her further.

She took a few long strides and stopped with her face a mere inch from the iron bars that stood between them. "Hello, Opal," she said. She waited and still got no response. Kuvira clenched her hands tighter behind her back and puffed out her chest. She put on the kindest voice she could muster. "There's no need to be like this. We don't have to be enemies, you and I."

Opal suddenly looked up their eyes met. Kuvira was taken aback by the intensity behind her usually kind eyes. But she stood steady, refusing to show any emotion. Opal stood and crossed the small distance from the end of her cell to stand directly in front of Kuvira.

Her hands clutched the ebony bars so hard her knuckles went white. She looked up at Kuvira and finally spoke. "I was angry with my friend; I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe; I told it not, my wrath did grow."

Kuvira couldn't help but chuckle a bit condescendingly. "She finally speaks and she speaks in verse. Why don't you tell me what you really want to say?" Kuvira asked forcefully.

She knew the poem Opal was quoting well. Zaofu was a cultured city with an extremely well educated citizenry. That included the both of them, but Kuvira wasn't in the mood for beating around the bush by quoting poetry.

Opal sighed and her eyes softened. "Kuvira, you must stop this madness, or it will get you killed," she paused then pursed her lips. "You're right. We don't have to be enemies, but if that's truly what you want, you must make some changes, and quickly."

"You seem to be confused about your situation, Opal," Kuvira said, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "You're my prisoner. Who are you to tell me what I should and shouldn't do?" Kuvira's eyes flashed open and she gripped the bars, her hands grazing Opal's.

"You were like a sister to me," Opal said bitterly, letting her fingers slip from the bars. "That's why I'm warning you now. I've been all over the Earth Kingdom. Most of the people don't see you as a liberator, they see you as a power hungry warmonger." Kuvira silently took in Opal's words. "And the prison camps? What are you thinking sending people to those terrible places?"

"Dissenters must be punished severely in order to discourage further disobedience." Kuvira stated matter-of-factly, repeating what she'd said over and over again.

"Violence just brings more violence, Kuvira. I know you know this! You aren't an idiot!" Opal yelled and threw her arms to her sides.

"I'm not bringing violence. I'm bringing order to a land that has been too long filled with chaos. I am doing the right by the people of the Earth Kingdom."

"According to you. The truth is you are taking their freedoms. You are making it so they have no option but to submit to you. That's not order. That's a dictatorship." Opal argued back and narrowed her eyes.

"I'm no dictator, but I do intend to lead this nation with an iron fist so that it will never fall into disorder again." Kuvira answered robotically. She shook her head. This conversation was going nowhere. "I think you need some more time to get accustomed to your new accommodations. I'll return later. I hope you are ready to speak less nonsense by then." She turned on her heals.

"Wait," Opal yelled out to Kuvira's back, "where is my brother? And Bolin? I demand to speak with them."

"They are on missions at the moment. You don't get to make demands of me." Kuvira said and gave Opal a savage glare.

Opal stood taller at the threat. "And I watered it in fears, night and morning with my tears: and I sunned it with smiles, and with soft deceitful wiles. And it grew both day and night. Till it bore an apple bright. And my foe beheld its shine, and he knew that it was mine. And into my garden stole, when the night had veiled the pole; in the morning glad I see; my foe outstretched beneath the tree."

"I told you, stop speaking in rhymes. Just tell me what it is you want to say!" Kuvira could feel her frustration increasing by the second.

A knowing smile crossed Opal's lips. "The wrath of the people is growing by the day. Soon, you'll be the one lying lifeless under the trees of wrath you nourished."

Kuvira snorted and walked out of the room. Opal was wrong. She would have her empire, and soon. No matter who or what she had to crush to get it.

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 **I'm sure I wrote this piece for the Pro-bending Circuit...anyway, I want to make a follow up to this with Opal talking to Kuvira in prison at some point...anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!**

 **In case you don't know, the verse that Opal quotes is not my original work. This piece had several additional prompts (most of which I've forgotten), but the main one was that it needed to be based off of William Blake's Poem "A Poison Tree." You should give it a read. It's a good poem.**


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